Campers were setting up at Rhythm and Vines in Gisborne on Sunday night before the rain set in on Monday. Photo / Supplied
Campers were setting up at Rhythm and Vines in Gisborne on Sunday night before the rain set in on Monday. Photo / Supplied
Another drenched year-end has not deterred the estimated 22,000 attendees of Gisborne’s Rhythm and Vines festival.
The orange rain warning issued over Gisborne/Tairāwhiti by MetService expired early this morning, bringing hope for festival-goers that conditions may improve after a muddy start.
He added that it would still be “rather unsettled”, despite the easing trend.
Dust was rising when the Gisborne Herald entered the Rhythm and Vines site on an InterCity bus packed with campers heading down to Gisborne from Auckland for the festival, with initial performances getting underway from Sunday.
By Monday morning, though, the rain was heavy, and campers were complaining about being bogged down with mud.
The set-up seen on Sunday at R&V in Gisborne, as campers arrived on an InterCity bus. Photo / Anne-Marie de Bruin
One camper heading to R&V said she had not been before and was building up to the experience but preparing for the worst with a tent.
Audiences grooved to performances from Sunday night at Rhythm and Vines in Gisborne. Photo / Supplied
Declan Prentice and Egor Akhmedirov had travelled to Gisborne from Wellington. On Monday afternoon, they said they were looking forward to Kid Cudi in the evening despite the weather.
“Little bit muddy in the morning. But it will be way worse,” they said.
Campers had set up at Rhythm and Vines on Sunday afternoon. Photo / Supplied
Live Nation director of festivals Kieran Spillane said that it was expected the weather would get better, and gig-goers had dealt with the conditions pretty well.
“Certainly, today has not been the summer’s day at R & V our patrons were hoping for,” he said late on Monday.
Wearing wet weather gear, Declan Prentice and Egor Akhmedirov were in Gisborne for Rhythm and Vines. Photo / Anne-Marie de Bruin
“However, they all remain in good spirits and are looking forward to entertainment across five stages.
“The site is holding up well under the very wet weather today and we expect things to dry out very quickly when the summer weather returns just in time for the remaining two days of R&V as we build up towards seeing in the 2026 new year.”
Performances from electronic duo Maribou State, L.A.B, BL3SS, Lee Mvtthews and DJ SuperGran are on the card for days two and three.
